Putin will have to negotiate ‘sooner or later’, PM says as further talks start

Vladimir Putin will “sooner or later” have to come to the negotiating table, Sir Keir Starmer said as he began further talks on a “coalition of the willing” on Saturday.

Addressing around 25 world leaders from the Cabinet room in 10 Downing Street, the Prime Minister said President Volodymyr Zelensky – who joined Saturday’s call – had “shown once again that Ukraine is the party of peace” by agreeing to an unconditional 30-day ceasefire.

Accusing Mr Putin of trying to “delay” progress on a ceasefire, he said: “If Putin is serious about peace, it’s very simple. He has to stop his barbaric attacks on Ukraine and agree to a ceasefire.

“The world is watching. My feeling is that sooner or later he is going to have to come to the table and engage in serious discussions.”

Saturday’s virtual meeting is aimed at continuing plans for a peacekeeping force of Western troops to be deployed in the event of a ceasefire, although Russia has indicated it would not accept Nato or European soldiers in Ukraine.

Sir Keir told his counterparts they could not “sit back and simply wait” for a ceasefire, adding: “We have to keep pushing ahead, pushing forward and preparing for peace, and a peace that will be secure and that will last.”

Following the Prime Minister’s address, the meeting heard from French President Emmanuel Macron, Mr Zelensky and Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte.

The discussions follow a week in which American officials took a US-Ukraine proposal for a 30-day ceasefire to Moscow following talks in Saudi Arabia.

But, so far, the Kremlin has resisted calls for an unconditional ceasefire.

While Mr Putin has described the principle of a ceasefire as “correct”, he has insisted it must come with a promise from Ukraine to abandon attempts to join Nato and give up control of regions seized by Russia.

Earlier on Saturday, Mr Putin’s first prime minister Mikhail Kasyanov, who now opposes the Russian president, said his former boss would not accept Nato or European troops being deployed to Ukraine, but might agree to soldiers from “friendly countries” such as India and Brazil.

Meanwhile, both Russia and Ukraine launched drone attacks overnight, each reporting more than 100 enemy drones entering their respective airspaces.

No casualties have been reported and both countries’ defence ministries claim to have shot down around 130 enemy drones.

Published: 15/03/2025 by Radio NewsHub